What do women want (from bread)?

In a monthly review of global product innovation, Datamonitor researcher Ghina Romani told BakeryandSnacks.com that this idea had recently hit the South American market with Chile-based Ideal’s launch of a bread for women. The bread came in two varieties - 'healthy digestion' and Vitamin D and calcium-fortified. 

Romani said the concept was a “very clever” ​way to engage a large and loyal female consumer base. 

“With the increasing market demand for women-only products, manufacturers have a bigger opportunity to launch a successful product. However, new products that provide solutions to health problems and offer simplification and convenience have a stronger chance to satisfy and meet female consumers.” ​

She said that despite a stereotype of women avoiding bread for fear of bloating, Datamonitor research had revealed that in reality, across the globe 25% of women buy bread daily – just 2% lower than the worldwide figure for men.

Venus and Mars​

The Chilean bread launch was a South American first - following a Japanese bread in 2004 boasting fiber for health, beauty and constipation relief; the UK’s 2008 Food Doctor Bread For Women with female-specific fortification; a soy-lin variety of a George Weston Foods bread in Australia; and a salba, soy, linseed and manuka honey bread in New Zealand both in 2009.

However, for men Romani said there had only been one global launch of this kind – a George Weston Foods bread high in fiber, protein and omega-3 in Australia in 2009.

“This still isn’t a very big trend. There has always been mass-production methods from manufacturers, producing very large amounts of the same products and not taking into account the different segments.” ​

She said it would be interesting to see more and more manufacturers tapping into this opportunity.  

“Women are more loyal consumers. They are more likely to keep buying a brand. They are also more likely to spread the word and tell their friends about products.” ​

Romani added that women also wielded considerable “spending power”.​

“They have the money and take the decisions when they do the food shopping,”​ she said.

Targeted products ​

Romani said firms hoping to engage women should focus on nutritional needs specific to them, as well as creating packaging and a marketing story targeting this demographic.

“Women are not a niche market. Manufacturers should think about what nutrition they need and how to market it.”​

Gender-targeted products have been seen elsewhere in the food industry, with US brand Powerful Yogurt seeking to create a ‘dairy for men’ category with its male-focused yoghurt branding. Romani said milk and beer for women were also emerging gendered categories. 

Meanwhile UK sports nutrition firm Bio-Synergy told sister publication NutraIngredients last year that supposed ‘shrink it and pink it’​ methods of transforming male-oriented sports nutrition product was a lazy way to meet female needs – insisting a more tailor-made approach to formulations was needed.